CMA vs. SUNO

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Maritime Academy in Vallejo, CA with Southern University at New Orleans in New Orleans, LA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Southern University at New Orleans is larger than CMA based on total student enrollment (2,468 students vs. 837 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Maritime Academy is located in Vallejo, CA (Midsize City setting); Southern University at New Orleans is in New Orleans, LA (Large City setting).
• California State University Maritime Academy is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Southern University at New Orleans is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Maritime Academy 11:1; Southern University at New Orleans 13:1.

CMA vs. SUNO Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CMA or SUNO? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southern University at New Orleans than CMA ($14,480 vs. $19,040).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern University at New Orleans are 22% lower than at California State University Maritime Academy ($11,337 vs. $14,536).
• California State University Maritime Academy is 23.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than SUNO (about $1,890 more per year; $9,944.00 vs. $8,054.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 33% higher at CMA than at Southern University at New Orleans (about $5,590 more per year; $22,544.00 vs. $16,954.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Southern University at New Orleans than at California State University Maritime Academy (89% vs. 51%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Southern University at New Orleans students is 1.7% larger than aid received by California State University Maritime Academy students ($11,231 vs. $11,038).

CMA vs. SUNO Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CMA or SUNO? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between SUNO and CMA.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresSouthern University at New Orleans 820/1050.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresSouthern University at New Orleans 15/20.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CMA - Test-free; SUNO - Required.
• Typical fall application deadline: CMA Dec 15, 2026; SUNO Jul 1, 2027.
• Enrolled freshman CMA students have a 1.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.43) than students at SUNO (2.4).
• CMA has a higher acceptance rate (95%) than SUNO (78.9%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 20.7% at CMA vs. 3.2% at SUNO.

CMA vs. SUNO Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CMA and SUNO? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• California State University Maritime Academy's six-year graduation rate is 62%. Comparable graduation rate data is not available for SUNO.
• Graduates from California State University Maritime Academy earn a median of about $58,900 more per year than SUNO graduates about ten years after starting college ($90,500 vs. $31,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Southern University at New Orleans graduates have a $1,178 lower median loan debt than CMA graduates ($24,348 vs. $25,526).
• Among borrowers, SUNO graduates have an estimated $12 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than CMA graduates ($251 vs. $263).
• More CMA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SUNO students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 22%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.